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Battle Tendency
Cover of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure volume 8, featuring the Pillar Men (left to right: Wamuu, Esidisi, and Kars) and Joseph Joestar (foreground)
戦闘潮流
(Sentō Chōryū)
GenreAdventure, supernatural[1]
Manga
Written byHirohiko Araki
Published byShueisha
English publisher
ImprintJump Comics
MagazineWeekly Shōnen Jump
Original runNovember 2, 1987 – March 27, 1989
Volumes7
Other media
Chronology
icon Anime and manga portal

Battle Tendency (Japanese: 戦闘潮流, Hepburn: Sentō Chōryū) is the second main story arc of the manga series JoJo's Bizarre Adventure written and illustrated by Hirohiko Araki. It was serialized for around 1+1⁄2 years in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump from November 2, 1987,[2] to March 27, 1989,[3] for 69 chapters, which were later collected into seven tankōbon volumes. In its original publication, it was referred to as JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 2 Joseph Joestar: His Proud Lineage (ジョジョの奇妙な冒険 第二部 ジョセフ・ジョースター —その誇り高き血統, JoJo no Kimyō na Bōken Dai Ni Bu Josefu Jōsutā Sono Hokoritakaki Kettō). The arc was preceded by Phantom Blood (1987) and followed by Stardust Crusaders (1989–1992).

Set in North America and Europe in 1938–39 around 50 years after Phantom Blood, the story follows Joseph Joestar and Caesar Anthonio Zeppeli, the grandsons of Jonathan Joestar and Will A. Zeppeli from Phantom Blood respectively who can manipulate sunlight-based energy called Hamon. Along with the Hamon master Lisa Lisa, Joseph and Caesar seek to prevent ancient humanoids called the Pillar Men, who invented the stone masks from Phantom Blood, from obtaining a powerful stone called the Super Aja, which would evolve them into ultimate beings and conquer their vulnerability to sunlight.

In 2012, Battle Tendency was digitally colored and released as digital downloads for smartphones and tablet computers. A four-volume re-release under the title JoJonium was published in 2014.[4] This version was licensed and released in North America by Viz Media in 2015 and 2016.[5]

Battle Tendency was adapted as part of the first season of David Production's 2012 anime television series JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.

Plot

[edit]

In the series' backstory, 102,000 years ago in a place that would be modern-day Mexico, it started with a mysterious but powerful race with incredibly long lifespans and the ability to absorb life forces from plants and animals, although they had the disadvantage of being easily disintegrated if exposed to sunlight and thus lived underground instead. Kars, a member of this race, who is known as a Pillar Man, created a stone mask which grants immortality by absorbing life energy to conquer the sun (which kills his kind). He slaughtered all but three of the tribe.[6] As the Pillar Men's bodies were already immortal, they required more power for them to become ultimate beings.[7] In 39 AD,[8] three of the Pillar Men, Kars, Wamuu, and Esidisi, came to the Roman Empire to find a perfectly cut Red Stone of Aja[a][9] known as the Super Aja.[b][7] Kars, Wamuu, and Esidisi developed fighting styles to counter Hamon,[10] an energy with the same properties as the energy from sunlight,[11] and nearly wiped out the Hamon tribe,[9] but the stone narrowly escaped them.[7] Following this, the Pillar Men went into an almost 2,000-year slumber.[9]

In 1889, Erina Joestar's husband Jonathan was killed by Dio Brando on a ship in the Atlantic Ocean. Erina survived and saved the life of a baby girl,[12] whose parents were killed by the stone mask.[13][c] The girl, Elizabeth, was raised by the Hamon master Straizo, who taught her to use Hamon[13][15] and gave her the Super Aja.[13] Elizabeth married Erina's son George and they had a son called Joseph. When Joseph was a baby, George was killed by a zombie that blended in as a commander of the Royal Flying Corps and his death was covered up. Upon killing the zombie in an act of revenge, a warrant for Elizabeth's arrest was sent out. She went into hiding and adopted the alias Lisa Lisa.[15] Joseph was raised by Erina.[16] He inherited Hamon abilities from Jonathan.[17]

At the start of the series, in the fall of 1938 where World War II looms, Joseph and Erina move from London to New York.[18] Meanwhile, former thug turned oil baron Robert E. O. Speedwagon invites Straizo to Mexico to destroy a sleeping Pillar Man with Hamon. Straizo instead wounds Speedwagon,[17] and uses a stone mask near the Pillar Man and Speedwagon's blood to become an immortal vampire. Straizo goes to New York to destroy Joseph and Erina, believed to be the last people who know about the stone mask.[16] When Joseph defeats Straizo, Straizo tells him that the Pillar Man is about to awaken and he will meet the Pillar Man soon. Straizo then commits suicide by channeling Hamon through himself, destroying his vampire body. Intrigued, Joseph goes to Mexico and is informed that Speedwagon was taken to detention by the Nazis, who also hold the ambition to study the Pillar Men to serve Adolf Hitler's world conquest.[19] Joseph saves Speedwagon, who survived, from the awakened Pillar Man named Santana,[d][20] and with the help of Rudol von Stroheim, the Nazi Major wounded by Santana, tricks Santana into being turned to stone by the sunlight reflected from a well.[21]

Joseph and Speedwagon travel to Rome, where they meet Caesar Zeppeli,[22] a man who trained in Hamon to continue the legacy of his father Mario and grandfather Will.[23] However, the group arrives too late to prevent Kars, Wamuu, and Esidisi from awakening.[24] Joseph plays on Wamuu's pride and convinces Wamuu to let him live to be a more worthy opponent. Both Wamuu and Esidisi implant poison-filled rings in his aorta and windpipe, giving Joseph 33 days to get the antidotes from each of them.[25]

Joseph and Caesar train in Hamon under Lisa Lisa on Air Suplena Island off the coast of Venice.[26] Esidisi raids the island and is challenged by Joseph. Joseph destroys Esidisi's body and takes his antidote, but Esidisi's brain is able to possess Lisa Lisa's handmaid, Suzi Q, to steal the Super Aja and ship it off to Kars and Wammu. Joseph and Caesar work together to purge Esidisi's influence from Suzi Q and destroy him for good.[27] The group tracks down Kars and Wamuu to Switzerland.[28] Caesar is killed fighting Wamuu one-on-one, and takes the antidote for Joseph before dying.[29] Joseph and Lisa Lisa then confront Kars and Wamuu for the Super Aja, Lisa Lisa bluffing that she has a timed explosive that will destroy the stone.[30] Joseph kills Wamuu in battle.[31][32]

On February 28, 1939,[6] Kars acquires the Super Aja[33] and uses it along with the stone mask to become the ultimate being, despite efforts by Joseph and his newfound allies von Stroheim to prevent it.[15] Now immune to the sun[34] and able to use Hamon,[6] Kars's only desire is to kill Joseph.[34] Joseph steals a Nazi plane and tries to crash it and Kars into the volcanic island of Vulcano.[35] Joseph and Kars escape, but the shock of the plane crash causes a volcanic eruption.[36] Kars attempts to kill Joseph with Hamon, but Joseph instinctively holds up the Super Aja, which causes the energy to prompt an eruption climax, sending Joseph and Kars flying into the sky on a large rock. Kars is knocked into space by volcanic debris.[6] He tries to return to Earth, but his body freezes over and turns to stone. Unable to perish even though he desperately wants to, he drifts through space for eternity, eventually ceasing to think. Returning to Earth, Joseph is nursed to health by Lisa Lisa's assistant Suzi Q,[e] whom he marries. In the epilogue, set in 1987, an aged Joseph takes a flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Japan, where his daughter and grandson live, directly leading in to the first chapters of the following story arc, Stardust Crusaders.[37]

Characters

[edit]
See also: List of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure characters § Part 2: Battle Tendency 2
  • Joseph Joestar[f] is the main protagonist and grandson of Jonathan Joestar. Like Jonathan, he can use Hamon, though he is not initially as skilled in its use as Jonathan was. He initially uses a pair of Hamon-empowered clackers in battle, but he relies more on his wits than brute strength in fights, employing his uncanny ability to predict his opponent's actions down to what they will say next. Joseph makes return appearances in Stardust Crusaders and Diamond Is Unbreakable.
  • Caesar Anthonio Zeppeli[g] is a suave ladies' man and the grandson of Jonathan Joestar's teacher Will A. Zeppeli. He is rather cool and collected, especially compared to Joseph, with whom he is grudgingly paired to fight the Pillar Men. But over time, Joseph starts to grow on him so much that he is able to understand his strange thought patterns and they form an unbeatable duo. He infuses the Hamon into soap bubbles he creates with his specially-made gloves. Caesar dies near the end, in way like his grandfather, giving Joseph the last of his "Hamon" to help him defeat the rest of the pillar men.
  • Lisa Lisa,[h] formerly Elizabeth,[i] is a mysterious Hamon master who lives in Venice. She is introduced as Caesar's Hamon teacher and later revealed to be the last surviving master of the Hamon Tribe as well as Joseph's mother. She fights by conducting Hamon through her specially made scarf, that was made with the yarn of the Satiporoja beetle, that can conduct Hamon at 100%. Wife of the late George Joestar II, Joseph's father.
  • Smokey Brown[j] is an ordinary pickpocket hailing from New York whose newfound friendship with Joseph Joestar places him at the spectator's seat of the battle against the Pillar Men.
  • Robert E. O. Speedwagon[k] is an ally of Joseph and an old friend of the Joestars. Since the events of Phantom Blood, Speedwagon has settled in America, where he became an oil tycoon and founded the Speedwagon Foundation in order to deal with paranormal threats such as the Stone Mask and, later, the Pillar Men.
  • Rudol von Stroheim[l] is the commander of the Nazi forces who discovered Santana[d] in Mexico. He is responsible for not only saving the life of Speedwagon, but also for trying to help Joseph defeat Santana by blowing himself up along with him. He returns later as a cyborg to assist in the fight against Kars and his army. He eventually dies in 1943 during the Battle of Stalingrad.
  • Esidisi[m] is one of the Pillar Men. Like the other Pillar Men, he uses a particular fighting style known as a "Mode". Esidisi's Heat Control Mode[n] allows him to make his blood boil at 500 °C (932 °F) and inject it into his foes to burn them alive by extending his needle-like blood vessels out of his own body.
  • Wamuu[o] is one of the Pillar Men and Kars' loyal servant, following a warrior's code of honor. His Wind Mode[p] allows him to control the air in his lungs, which he can use to blast his opponents, cut them with extremely fast gusts, or render himself invisible.
  • Kars[q] is the main antagonist of Battle Tendency as well as the leader of the Pillar Men and the creator of the stone masks. He uses Light Mode,[r] which allows him to produce saw-bladed appendages from his body which produce a radiant glow. He is intelligent and ruthless, and single minded in his dedication to become the ultimate being.[s] Though Kars succeeds, his obsession with killing Joseph leads to his defeat, as he ends up being knocked out of Earth's orbit and frozen in space. Unable to die even though he desperately wants to, he eventually chooses to stop thinking.
  • Santana[d] is one of the Pillar Men. He was discovered by the Nazis in Mexico. Although he does not have a Mode, he is able to manipulate his body, allowing him to squeeze into tiny spaces and use his ribs as blades. He can also absorb other people into his own body. When awakened, Santana attempted to absorb Joseph Joestar and Stroheim, but he was turned into stone by the sun.

Production

[edit]
A bronze replica of the Farnese Hercules.
Sphinx of Egyptian pharaoh Hatshepsut.
A Japanese nio statue.
Araki drew from Roman statues, Egyptian sphinxes, and Japanese nio statues when designing the Pillar Men to convey them as godlike.

Because it was "unprecedented" to kill off the main character in a Weekly Shōnen Jump manga in 1987, Hirohiko Araki made the protagonist of Battle Tendency look very similar to Part 1's Jonathan, but with a more adventurous and confrontational personality. Araki called Joseph a swindler in comparison to the gentlemanly Jonathan, because he is constantly looking to win and will do insane things without hesitation. This was not only to create contrast between the two, but also because the author wanted to shift from the physical battles in Part 1 to more "cerebral" fights. He wanted Joseph to be a shōnen manga hero who bends the rules as he fights, like the protagonist of his earlier series Cool Shock B.T., winning by cunning and logic, instead of bravery and perseverance.[38]

Having not been able to show a friendly rivalry between Jonathan and Dio Brando in Part 1, Araki introduced Caesar Zeppeli to present a more positive friendly rivalry between him and Joseph since Weekly Shōnen Jump is a shōnen magazine. Because Joseph and Caesar both inherited the bloodlines of their grandfathers, the author wanted to connect their individual Hamon abilities to their last names. Thus he gave Joseph a "trickster" style, and Caesar the seemingly fleeting-bubbles as a "representation of his fate and the burden he is carrying." Having never been a fan of the main character receiving some unbeatable ability, Araki enjoys giving characters weapons with faults and having them make up for it with strategy. He noted that the spherical shape of the bubbles allowed him to morph them into discs or use them as lenses. The author also stated that these "spheres" were inherited by both Gyro Zeppeli in Steel Ball Run and Josuke Higashikata in JoJolion.[39]

Araki stated that at the time, female characters in shōnen manga were typically cute and designed to be "a man's ideal woman." He said readers were not interested in realistic portrayals of women, but rather the type of girl "that giggles during a conversation" with heart marks next to her. He believes this made the warrior-type Lisa Lisa feel fresh and "unheard of" in both manga and society in general and said it was exciting to challenge people's expectations with her. Araki also said that the supernatural basis of the fights in his series evened the battlefield for women and children to match up against strong men. This idea that looks are irrelevant in supernatural battles led to the introduction of Stands in Stardust Crusaders. Because the Hamon master in Part 1, Will A. Zeppeli, was very gentle, he wanted to give Lisa Lisa a "sadistic" personality. The author based her on a smart and intimidating neighborhood girl who tutored him in elementary school. He stated that at the time it was hard to get Japanese readers to remember a foreign name, so he chose something with repetition. He also said that Lisa Lisa phonetically resembles Japanese to an extent.[40]

Needing the Pillar Men to surpass Dio, Araki said he had to up the ante to the level of gods, and so based their designs on Roman statues, Egyptian sphinxes and Japanese Nio statues to give them godlike features. Araki designed Kars with a turban to show his superior intelligence and that he is their king. He said that if you compared the Pillar Men to Mito Kōmon, Kars would be Kōmon, Esidisi would be Suke-san, and Wamuu would be Kaku-san. Kars' ability Brilliant Bone Blade is a "Light Mode" because Araki thought a shining blade would be a godlike technique and would visually express that defeating him was impossible. He speculated that many readers were probably reminded of the similar Reskiniharden Saber Phenomenon technique from his series Baoh, and admitted that aspects of Kars' goal to become the ultimate being somewhat overlapped with the earlier work. Visually speaking, Araki also really enjoys drawing flesh and blade merge as something that is only possible in manga.[41]

Chapters

[edit]

The original volumization and Shueisha's 2002 re-release use different chapter titles. In the original volumization, chapters 45–47 are collected in volume 5, listed on the Phantom Blood page.

Original volumization (Jump Comics)

[edit]
No. Title Japanese release date Japanese ISBN
6JoJo vs. The Ultimate Being
Jojo Tai Kyūkyoku Seibutsu (JoJo Vs.（たい） 究極生物)		October 7, 1988[42]978-4-08-851062-0
  1. "Straizo's Ambition" (ストレイツォの野望, Sutoreitso no Yabō)
  2. "Master of the Game" (ゲームの達人, Gēmu no Tatsujin)
  3. "The Immortal Monster" (不死身の化け物, Fujimi no Bakemono)
  4. "Cold and Cruel, Straizo" (冷酷非情ストレイツォ, Reikoku Hijō Sutoreitso)
  5. "Nazis and the 'Pillar Man'" (ナチスと〝柱の男〞, Nachisu to "Hashira no Otoko")
  6. "The 'Pillar Man' Resurrection Project" (〝柱の男〞蘇生実験, "Hashira no Otoko" Sosei Jikken)
  1. "The 'Pillar Man' vs. The Stone Mask Man" (〝柱の男〞対石仮面の男, "Hashira no Otoko" Tai Ishi Kamen no Otoko)
  2. "The Desert Pursuer" (砂漠の追尾者, Sabaku no Tsuibisha)
  3. "Santana Disappears" (消えたサンタナ, Kieta Santana)
  4. "JoJo vs. The Ultimate Being" (JoJo Vs.（たい） 究極生物, JoJo Tai Kyūkyoku Seibutsu)
7The Red Stone of Aja
Eija no Sekiseki (エイジャの赤石)		December 6, 1988[43]978-4-08-851063-7
  1. "Hamon into the Ultimate Being!" (究極生物に波紋!, Kyūkyoku Seibutsu ni Hamon!)
  2. "The Perfect Plan!!" (完璧なる作戦ッ!!, Kanpeki naru Sakusen!!)
  3. "Stroheim's Resolve" (シュトロハイムの覚悟, Shutorohaimu no Kakugo)
  4. "The End of A Proud Man!" (誇り高き男の最期!, Hokori Takaki Otoko no Saigo!)
  5. "The Spaghetti Battle" (スパゲッティーの戦い, Supagettī no Tatakai)
  1. "The Pigeon and the Girl" (ハトと女の子, Hato to Onna no Ko)
  2. "The Red Stone of Aja" (エイジャの赤石, Eija no Sekiseki)
  3. "The Truth Within the Mouth of Truth" (真実の口にひそむ真実, Shinjitsu no Kuchi ni Hisomu Shinjitsu)
  4. "The Ultimate Warrior Wamuu" (究極戦士ワムウ, Kyūkyoku Senshi Wamū)
  5. "Special Attack: JoJo Clackers" (必殺JoJoクラッカー, Hissatsu JoJo Kurakkā)
8The Final Trial!
Saishū Shiren! (最終試練!)		February 10, 1989[44]978-4-08-851064-4
  1. "The 'Blood Timer' Battle" (〝血時計〟の闘い, "Chidokei" no Tatakai)
  2. "A Hero's Proof" (ヒーローの資格, Hīrō no Shikaku)
  3. "The Wedding Ring of Death" (死の結婚指輪（ウエディングリング）, Shi no Uedingu Ringu)
  4. "The Venetian Master" (ヴェネチアの達人, Venechia no Tatsujin)
  5. "The Training of a Hamon Warrior" (波紋戦士の試練, Hamon Senshi no Shiren)
  1. "Concentrated Hamon Power" (一点集中波紋パワー, Itten Shūchū Hamon Pawā)
  2. "The All-or-Nothing Gamble!" (一か八かの賭け!, Ichi ka Bachi ka no Kake!)
  3. "Hamon Master JoJo" (波紋達人（マスター）JoJo, Hamon Masutā JoJo)
  4. "The Final Trial!" (最終試練!, Saishū Shiren!)
  5. "The Results of Grueling Training" (しごきの成果, Shigoki no Seika)
9Race Toward the Cliff of Death
Shi no Gake e Tsuppashire (死の崖へつっ走れ)		April 10, 1989[45]978-4-08-851065-1
  1. "The Eerie Esidisi" (エシディシの不気味, Eshidishi no Bukimi)
  2. "Laying a Deeper Trap!" (深く罠をはれ!, Fukaku Wana o Hare!)
  3. "An Ensured Victory" (決定されていた勝利, Kettei Sareteita Shōri)
  4. "The Lurking Devil!" (忍び寄る魔!, Shinobiyoru Ma!)
  5. "The Stolen Body" (奪われた肉体, Ubawareta Nikutai)
  1. "Chasing the Red Stone to Switzerland" (スイスに赤石を追え, Suisu ni Sekiseki o Oe)
  2. "The Mysterious Nazi Officer" (謎のナチス軍人, Nazo no Nachisu Gunjin)
  3. "Kars 'Light Mode'" (カーズ"光の流法（モード）", Kāzu "Hikari no Mōdo")
  4. "Race Toward the Cliff of Death" (死の崖へつっ走れ, Shi no Gake e Tsuppashire)
10The Crimson Bubble
Senseki no Shabon (鮮赤のシャボン)		June 9, 1989[46]978-4-08-851066-8
  1. "Fight to the Death For 175 Meters" (死闘175m, Shitō Hyaku Nana Jū Go Mētoru)
  2. "Caesar: Anger from the Past" (シーザー過去からの怒り, Shīzā Kako kara no Ikari)
  3. "Caesar: A Lonely Youth" (シーザー孤独の青春, Shīzā Kodoku no Seishun)
  4. "Horrifying! The Ghostly Man" (鬼気!幻の男, Kiki! Maboroshi no Otoko)
  5. "The Fight Between Light and Wind!!" (光と風の激突!!, Hikari to Kaze no Gekitotsu!!)
  1. "The Crimson Bubble" (鮮赤のシャボン, Senseki no Shabon)
  2. "Caesar's Final Hamon" (シーザー最期の波紋, Shīzā Saigo no Hamon)
  3. "Silk Dancing Lisa Lisa" (絹の舞いリサリサ, Shiruku no Mai Risa Risa)
  4. "The Hundred vs. Two Strategy" (100対2のかけ引き, Hyaku Tai Ni no Kakehiki)
11The Warrior Returns to the Wind
Kaze ni Kaeru Senshi (風にかえる戦士)		August 10, 1989[47]978-4-08-851067-5
  1. "The Skeleton Heel Stone" (骸骨の踵石, Gaikotsu no Kakato Ishi)
  2. "Furious Struggle from Ancient Times" (荒ぶる古の戦, Araburu Inishie no Ikusa)
  3. "Moonlight Start!" (月光のスタート!, Gekkō no Sutāto)
  4. "The Pillar and the Hammer!" (柱とハンマー!, Hashira to Hanmā)
  1. "Genius Trickster" (天才的イカサマ師, Tensaiteki Ikasama-shi)
  2. "A True Warrior" (真の格闘者, Shin no Kakutōsha)
  3. "Shoot Beyond the Target!" (対称点上を撃て!, Taishō Tenjō o Ute!)
  4. "The Final Mode of the Wind" (風の最終流法（ファイナルモード）, Kaze no Fainaru Mōdo)
  5. "The Warrior Returns to the Wind" (風にかえる戦士, Kaze ni Kaeru Senshi)
12The Birth of a Superbeing!!
Chō Seibutsu no Tanjō!! (超生物の誕生!!)		October 9, 1989[48]978-4-08-851068-2
  1. "Treachery! The Sacrificial Temple" (悪逆!生贄の神殿, Akugyaku! Ikenie no Shinden)
  2. "The Bond That Binds Lisa Lisa and JoJo" (リサリサ、JOJOを結ぶ絆, Risa Risa, Jojo o Musubu Kizuna)
  3. "JoJo: The Final Hamon" (JOJO 最期の波紋, Jojo Saigo no Hamon)
  4. "The Tragedy of George Joestar" (ジョージ・ジョースターの悲劇, Jōji Jōsutā no Higeki)
  5. "The Birth of a Superbeing!!" (超生物の誕生!!, Chō Seibutsu no Tanjō!!)
  1. "JoJo's Final Gamble!" (JOJO 最後の賭け!, JoJo Saigo no Kake!)
  2. "The Man Who Became a God!!" (神となった男!!, Kami to Natta Otoko!!)
  3. "The Phenomenal Power of the Red Stone" (驚異の赤石パワー, Kyōi no Sekiseki Pawā)
  4. "The Man Who Came Back" (帰ってきた男, Kaettekita Otoko)
  5. "A Man Possessed" (悪霊にとりつかれた男, Akuryō ni Toritsukareta Otoko; lit. "A Man Possessed by an Evil Spirit")[t]

2002 release (Shueisha Bunko)

[edit]
No. Title Japanese release date Japanese ISBN
1 (4)Part 2: Battle Tendency 1
Part 2 Sentō Chōryū 1 (Part2 戦闘潮流 1)		April 18, 2002[49]4-08-617787-0
  • 45–47. "Joseph Joestar of New York (1–3)" (ニューヨークのジョセフ・ジョースター その①〜③, Nyū Yōku no Josefu Jōsutā Sono 1–3)
  • 48–52. "Straizo vs. Joseph (1–5)" (ストレイツォVSジョセフ その①〜⑤, Sutoreitso Bāsasu Josefu Sono 1–5)
  • 53. "The Pillar Man" (「柱の男」, "Hashira no Otoko")
  • 54–62. "The Pillar Man, Santana (1–9)" (「柱の男・サンタナ」 その①〜⑨, "Hashira no Otoko: Santana" Sono 1–9)
2 (5)Part 2: Battle Tendency 2
Part 2 Sentō Chōryū 2 (Part2 戦闘潮流 2)		April 18, 2002[50]4-08-617788-9
  • 63. "Joseph Joestar of Rome" (ローマのジョセフ・ジョースター, Rōma no Josefu Jōsutā)
  • 64. "The Red Stone of Aja" (エイジャの赤石, Eija no Sekiseki)
  • 65–69. "Ultimate Warriors from Ancient Times (1–5)" (太古から来た究極戦士 その①〜⑤, Taiko kara Kita Kyūkyoku Senshi Sono 1–5)
  • 70. "An Engagement with Death: The Wedding Ring" (死の契約・結婚指輪, Shi no Keiyaku: Uedingu Ringu)
  • 71–76. "Hamon Teacher Lisa Lisa (1–6)" (波紋教師 リサリサ その①〜⑥, Hamon Kyōshi Risa Risa Sono 1–6)
  • 77. "Go! Hamon Master" (行け!波紋マスター, Ike! Hamon Masutā)
  • 78–79. "Flame Mode Esidisi (1–2)" (炎・流法（モード） エシディシ その①〜②, Honō Mōdo Eshidishi Sono 1–2)
3 (6)Part 2: Battle Tendency 3
Part 2 Sentō Chōryū 3 (Part2 戦闘潮流 3)		May 17, 2002[51]4-08-617789-7
  • 80. "Flame Mode Esidisi (3)" (炎・流法（モード） エシディシ その③, Honō Mōdo Eshidishi Sono 3)
  • 81–82. "The Remains Lurk (1–2)" (忍びよる残骸 その①〜②, Shinobiyoru Zangai Sono 1–2)
  • 83–85. "Stroheim's Unit Strikes Back (1–3)" (シュトロハイム隊の逆襲 その①〜③, Shutorohaimu-tai no Gyakushū Sono 1–3)
  • 86–87. "Light Mode Kars (1–2)" (光・流法（モード） カーズ その①〜②, Hikari Mōdo Kāzu Sono 1–2)
  • 88–93. "Caesar: A Lonely Youth (1–6)" (シーザー孤独の青春 その①〜⑥, Shīzā Kodoku no Seishun Sono 1–6)
  • 94. "Climb Out of the Fortified Hotel" (要塞ホテルを登り切れ, Yōsai Hoteru o Noborikire)
  • 95–96. "The Wind, the Chariot, and Wamuu (1–2)" (風と戦車とワムウ その①〜②, Kaze to Sensha to Wamū Sono 1–2)
4 (7)Part 2: Battle Tendency 4
Part 2 Sentō Chōryū 4 (Part2 戦闘潮流 4)		May 17, 2002[52]4-08-617790-0
  • 97–103. "The Wind, the Chariot, and Wamuu (3–9)" (風と戦車とワムウ その③〜⑨, Kaze to Sensha to Wamū Sono 3–9)
  • 104. "The Warrior Returns to the Wind" (風にかえる戦士, Kaze ni Kaeru Senshi)
  • 105–106. "The Bond That Binds Lisa Lisa and JoJo (1–2)" (リサリサとジョジョを結ぶ絆 その①〜②, Risa Risa to JoJo o Musubu Kizuna Sono 1–2)
  • 107–108. "JoJo: The Final Hamon (1–2)" (ジョジョ 最後の波紋 その①〜②, JoJo Saigo no Hamon Sono 1–2)
  • 109–110. "Kars the Superbeing Is Born (1–2)" (超生物カーズ誕生 その①〜②, Chō Seibutsu Kāzu Tanjō Sono 1–2)
  • 111. "Joseph's Final Gamble" (ジョセフ最後の賭け, Josefu Saigo no Kake)
  • 112. "The Man Who Became a God" (神となった男, Kami to Natta Otoko)
  • 113. "The Man Who Crossed the Atlantic" (大西洋を越えて来た男, Taiseiyō o Koetekita Otoko)

2012 release (Shueisha Manga Soshuhen)

[edit]
No. Title Japanese release date Japanese ISBN
1 (2)Part 2: Battle Tendency Digest Edition Top
Dai Ni Bu Sentō Chōryū Sōshūhen Ue (第2部　戦闘潮流　総集編・上)		December 7, 2012[53]978-4-08-111058-2
2 (3)Part 2: Battle Tendency Digest Edition Bottom
Dai Ni Bu Sentō Chōryū Sōshūhen Shita (第2部　戦闘潮流　総集編・下)		January 5, 2013[54]978-4-08-111059-9

2014 release (JoJonium) / English release

[edit]
No. Title Original release date English release date
1 (4)Part 2: Battle Tendency 01
JoJonium 4		February 4, 2014[55]
978-4-08-782835-1		April 21, 2015 (digital)
November 3, 2015 (physical)[56]
978-1-4215-7882-8
  • Chapters 1–18[u]
2 (5)Part 2: Battle Tendency 02
JoJonium 5		March 4, 2014[57]
978-4-08-782836-8		August 18, 2015 (digital)
February 2, 2016 (physical)[58]
978-1-4215-7883-5
  • Chapters 19–36
3 (6)Part 2: Battle Tendency 03
JoJonium 6		April 4, 2014[59]
978-4-08-782837-5		November 17, 2015 (digital)
May 3, 2016 (physical)[60]
978-1-4215-7884-2
  • Chapters 37–49
4 (7)Part 2: Battle Tendency 04
JoJonium 7		May 2, 2014[61]
978-4-08-782838-2		March 15, 2016 (digital)
August 2, 2016 (physical)[62]
978-1-4215-7885-9
  • Chapters 50–69
[edit]
See also: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure season 1

Ōtarō Maijō's 2012 novel Jorge Joestar, follows the titular character, the father of Joseph Joestar, and his story as a child in the Canary Islands and pilot in the Royal Air Force, as well as an alternate version who lives in Japan and is investigating strange events regarding alternate dimensions.[63]

The arc was adapted as part of the first season of David Production's anime television adaptation, airing between December 7, 2012, and April 5, 2013. Warner Bros. Entertainment released this series in English on July 28, 2015.[64]

The young Joseph of this series appears as a playable character, alongside his older self, in Capcom's 1998 arcade fighting game, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. Joseph, Caesar, Wamuu, Esidisi and Kars appear as playable characters in Bandai Namco Games' 2013 fighting game, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle, with Lisa Lisa later appearing as a downloadable character. Joseph, Caesar, Stroheim, Lisa Lisa, Wamuu, Esidisi, and Kars also appear in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven, also by Bandai Namco.

Reception

[edit]

Anime News Network's Rebecca Silverman described Battle Tendency as "less urgent" than Part 1, which allows for more humor and insanity, while still letting the reader get attached to the characters.[65] She felt positively about how strikingly different the protagonist Joseph is from Part 1's Jonathan.[66] However, she wrote that Araki's art had gotten even more "physically improbable," making it difficult to distinguish body parts.[66] When discussing his views on having characters die in a series, writer Gen Urobuchi cited Battle Tendency's Caesar Zeppeli as a character who became "immortal" thanks to his death.[67]

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Battle Tendency

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Battle Tendency is the second story arc of the Japanese manga series , written and illustrated by , focusing on the exploits of in combating ancient superhuman adversaries known as the Pillar Men using a mystical energy technique called Hamon. Serialized in Shueisha's magazine from November 1987 to March 1989, the arc comprises 69 chapters collected into seven volumes, marking a tonal shift from the gothic horror of the preceding toward more dynamic action sequences and comedic elements centered on Joseph's cunning and trickery. Set primarily in 1938–1939 across locales in and Europe, the narrative follows , grandson of the original protagonist , as he allies with Hamon user Caesar Zeppeli to thwart the Pillar Men's quest for the Red Stone of Aja, an artifact that would enable their evolution into ultimate beings impervious to sunlight. The arc introduces memorable antagonists like , Wamuu, and Esidisi, whose god-like physiology and regenerative abilities demand innovative combat strategies beyond brute force, emphasizing Joseph's reliance on intellect and environmental improvisation over the honorable dueling of prior characters. This installment solidified JoJo's Bizarre Adventure's reputation for escalating stakes and stylistic flair, with Hamon manifesting as visible, rippling effects in battles that blend , , and supernatural lore. Notable for its portrayal of a brash, street-smart who subverts shōnen tropes through and bluffing, Battle Tendency received acclaim for elevating the series' pacing and visual dynamism, influencing subsequent parts' hybrid of and fantastical elements. The 2012 anime adaptation by further amplified its appeal, faithfully recreating Araki's poses and sound effects while introducing it to global audiences, though some critiques noted the manga's occasional reliance on contrived victories reflective of serialized constraints. No major controversies surround the arc itself, though its inclusion of Nazi-affiliated characters like Rudol von Stroheim serves as plot devices rather than endorsements, aligning with the series' penchant for eccentric, ahistorical villains.

Synopsis

Plot Summary

In 1938 New York City, Joseph Joestar encounters the ancient Stone Mask artifact, which transforms a human assailant into a vampire-like creature; Joseph instinctively employs Hamon energy, a ripple-based technique inherited from his grandfather, to decapitate the foe and destroy the mask. Shortly thereafter, the vampire Straizo arrives, reveals the mask's origins tied to the superior Pillar Men race, and succumbs to bloodlust by donning a mask himself; after a fierce Hamon-infused battle atop a building, Straizo self-immolates upon defeat, warning of the awakening Pillar Man Santana in . Accompanied by Robert E. O. Speedwagon, Joseph travels to a Mexican pyramid where Nazi excavators have unearthed Santana, an immortal Pillar Man dormant for millennia; Santana absorbs human victims to regenerate, but Joseph and allies exploit light to encase and ultimately destroy him via sunlight exposure, uncovering clues to the remaining Pillar Men—Wamuu, Esidisi, and —slumbering beneath Rome's . In Rome, the Pillar Men awaken, slaughtering Nazis and implanting Joseph with a deadly "ring of flesh" as a challenge; fleeing to Venice, Joseph undergoes rigorous Hamon training under on Air Supplena Island, mastering advanced techniques like the Zoom Punch and Sunlight Yellow Overdrive alongside ally Caesar Zeppeli. The group pursues the Red Stone of Aja, a gem essential for the Pillar Men's evolution to overcome sunlight vulnerability, leading to where Esidisi ambushes via boiling veins; defeats him with precise Hamon clacker volleyballs, though Caesar perishes battling Wamuu in a subsequent duel emphasizing blade work and wind-based Hamon. honors Caesar by challenging Wamuu to a race in the , employing oil slicks, crossbows, and Hamon-charged horns to emerge victorious after a 50-meter gap sprint. The climax unfolds at a Swiss hotel and nearby Skeleton , where seizes the Aja, achieves his Ultimate Life Form state granting rapid adaptation and light manipulation, and mortally wounds ; aided by the cybernetically enhanced Rudol von Stroheim's plane sacrifice, activates the Aja's light-amplifying properties amid a volcanic eruption, propelling Kars into orbit where eternal sunlight renders him inert.

Characters

Main Protagonists

serves as the central protagonist, an 18-year-old grandson of who inherits and innovates upon Hamon techniques in unconventional ways during the 1938-1939 narrative. Unlike his grandfather's disciplined approach, Joseph relies on instinctive trickery and psychological feints in combat, often predicting enemy responses aloud to disrupt them, while channeling Hamon through everyday objects for amplified effects. Key abilities include the Clacker Volley, where he infuses metallic clackers with Hamon to create explosive impacts via rapid collisions, and Overdrive, a surge of Hamon energy that enhances his strikes and allows temporary superhuman feats like shattering stone or conducting electricity through liquids. His role drives the plot by uncovering the Pillar Men threat in New York, pursuing them to , and ultimately defeating Kars through adaptive ingenuity rather than raw power. Caesar Anthonio Zeppeli, a Venetian Hamon practitioner from the Zeppeli lineage established in , partners with as both rival and ally, emphasizing precise, inherited techniques over improvisation. Specializing in bubble-based Hamon delivery, he generates soap bubbles laced with Ripple energy for versatile attacks, such as the Bubble Launcher for propulsion and entrapment or Bubble Cutter for slicing via reflected light and Hamon conductivity. These methods stem from his training under and highlight the Zeppeli clan's generational commitment to Hamon mastery, enabling him to trap foes in reflective prisons or extend Ripple range. Caesar advances the narrative through his initial antagonism toward , forging a bond via shared battles against the Pillar Men, particularly in and , where his sacrificial stand against Wamuu underscores themes of duty. Lisa Lisa acts as the authoritative Hamon mentor to both and Caesar, enforcing rigorous training regimens that refine their Ripple breathing and combat discipline on Air Supplena Island. As a master of controlled Hamon flow, she integrates by weaponizing her scarf with Ripple to form razor-sharp blades capable of severing stone or Pillar Men flesh, demonstrated in defenses against Esidisi's assaults. Her methods prioritize endurance tests, like scaling oil-slicked pillars via pure Hamon adhesion, to instill precision over Joseph's chaotic style.) Revealed as Caesar's mother, her guidance propels the protagonists' preparation for the final confrontations, contributing decisive interventions in and the while embodying the stoic pinnacle of Hamon heritage.

Primary Antagonists

The Pillar Men constitute the central antagonistic force in Battle Tendency, comprising four ancient humanoids—Kars, Esidisi, Wamuu, and Santana—characterized by their , rapid regeneration, and capacity for organic body manipulation that surpasses limits. Originating as a superior species that co-evolved with early humanity eons ago, they dominated prehistoric but retreated into within stone pillars approximately 2,000 years prior to the story's setting to evade their sole environmental vulnerability: sunlight, which causes cellular disintegration. This dormancy underscores their causal advantage in long-term survival, as their self-sustaining physiology allowed indefinite preservation absent external interference, in stark contrast to dependence on fragile ecosystems and short lifespans. Their awakening in , triggered by human excavation, initiates a quest for the Red Stone of Aja to amplify the Stone Mask's effects, enabling solar immunity and total evolutionary supremacy. Kars serves as the unchallenged leader, having engineered the Stone Mask millennia earlier through systematic experimentation on humans to circumvent the Pillar Men's diurnal weakness, though initial trials yielded vampiric subordinates rather than perfected kin. His pursuit of "perfection" culminates in fusion with the Red Stone, yielding the Ultimate Lifeform state: a hyper-adaptive entity capable of instantaneous regeneration from near-total destruction, assimilation of biological traits from other organisms, and morphing extremities into razor-sharp blades or projectiles for versatile offense. Despite this apex physiology, Kars's defeat stems from Joseph's exploitation of environmental contingencies—launching him into orbit via volcanic eruption and aircraft collision—rendering raw power moot against orbital isolation and perpetual sunlight exposure. Esidisi and Wamuu embody the group's martial hierarchy, with Esidisi employing thermal manipulation to superheat bodily fluids, enabling attacks like vein-lancing projectiles or internal boiling to overwhelm foes from within. His downfall illustrates strategic reversal: Joseph's infusion of Hamon energy into his own blood causes Esidisi's assimilated to overheat catastrophically, turning the invader's regenerative edge against itself through reversed in . Wamuu, raised by Kars and Esidisi with unwavering loyalty, wields wind-compression via a cranial horn for devastating gust blasts and the Divine Sandstorm technique, generating razor-edged cyclones that demand evasion over confrontation. His engagements, including a high-stakes , test Joseph's improvisational traps—such as Hamon-charged and oil slicks—over brute force, culminating in Wamuu's honorable self-destruction upon mortal wounding by a of light blades, prioritizing dignity amid biological defeat. These encounters highlight the Pillar Men's existential threat rooted in unchecked adaptability, yet their rigid codes and dependency enable human countermeasures grounded in physics and rather than parity in strength.

Supporting Characters

Rudol von Stroheim serves as a key technological and military ally to , initially appearing as a Nazi SS Major overseeing the excavation of the Pillar Man Santana in in 1938. After sustaining fatal injuries from Santana, Stroheim is reconstructed as a by German scientists, granting him enhanced capabilities including superhuman strength exerting up to 1,950 kg/cm² pressure, an abdominal-mounted firing 600 rounds per minute, and an ultraviolet laser emitter effective against Pillar Men vulnerabilities. He coordinates with the Speedwagon Foundation and Ripple practitioners, supplying ultraviolet weaponry and directing German forces in assaults on Esidisi and other Pillar Men, such as deploying aircraft for aerial support and experimental anti-Pillar Man ordnance during the confrontation. In the climactic efforts against , Stroheim deploys his cybernetic arsenal, including a projectile hand mechanism, and ultimately sacrifices his lower body to restrain the enemy, exemplifying his shift from ideological adversary to pragmatic collaborator amid 1930s geopolitical frictions between Axis and Allied interests. Robert E. O. Speedwagon, a returning ally from the events of , provides logistical and financial backing through the Speedwagon Foundation, established from his post-1890s wealth accumulated in the American oil industry. In Battle Tendency, he accompanies on investigations into Pillar Men awakenings, such as coordinating with informant Straizo in and facilitating Joseph's extraction from Nazi custody via foundation agents and specialized vehicles like helicopters and submarines. Speedwagon avoids direct combat, instead offering narrative exposition on supernatural threats, emotional guidance as an uncle-like figure, and resource mobilization for operations at sites like the ruins, ensuring continuity of the Joestar efforts without frontline engagement. Supporting figures include Smokey Brown, a New York pickpocket encountered by Joseph in 1938, whom Joseph rescues from police using Ripple techniques, forging a brief alliance that highlights Joseph's street-level heroism and exposes him to early vampire threats like Straizo. Brown witnesses subsequent battles but contributes primarily as an observer, later achieving personal success as the first African-American mayor of his Georgia hometown. German soldiers under Stroheim's command bolster assaults on Pillar Men through sheer numbers and conventional armaments, their involvement underscoring the narrative's blend of 1930s realpolitik—where Nazi forces temporarily align with Western protagonists against an existential ancient peril—despite underlying ideological clashes.

Production and Development

Conception and Writing

Araki conceived Battle Tendency as a tonal pivot from the gothic, vampire-centric horror of Phantom Blood, introducing a brighter adventure narrative centered on globe-trotting exploits against ancient superhuman foes known as the Pillar Men. Serialized as Part 2 of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure in Weekly Shōnen Jump from November 2, 1987, to March 27, 1989, across 69 chapters, the story built directly on Joseph Joestar's brief introduction as an infant in Phantom Blood's finale, aging him into a young adult protagonist trained in Hamon (Ripple energy). This sequel expanded Hamon's role from a mystical life-force technique effective against undead entities to a tactical system integrated with Joseph's improvisational gadgets, traps, and psychological feints, reflecting Araki's aim to evolve combat beyond raw power clashes. Central to the conception was Joseph's characterization as a cunning , deliberately opposing Jonathan Joestar's noble, straightforward heroism to inject unpredictability and wit into battles. Araki envisioned Joseph as a modern, street-smart fighter who relies on bluffs, environmental exploitation, and unorthodox Hamon applications—such as conductive wires or oil slicks—rather than honorable duels, allowing victories against overwhelmingly stronger adversaries through intellect over brawn. This shift catered to shōnen serialization demands for engaging, high-stakes action, with Joseph's brash personality enabling humorous asides and escalating rivalries, like his banter-heavy partnership with Caesar Zeppeli. The 1930s setting was selected to facilitate a broader, international canvas, incorporating era-specific technologies like biplanes and zeppelins for dynamic travel sequences from New York to and , while evoking pulp adventure aesthetics. Araki drew inspiration from Western films, particularly the rugged individualism of Clint Eastwood's roles, which informed Joseph's swaggering demeanor and the narrative's emphasis on personal ingenuity amid exotic threats. These elements aimed to globalize the Joestar lineage's conflicts, contrasting Phantom Blood's insular Victorian focus. The storyline culminated in seven tankōbon volumes (overall series volumes 6–12), with Araki refining plot momentum mid-run to heighten tension in Pillar Men confrontations, prioritizing concise arcs over protracted buildup based on ongoing reader engagement metrics typical of Jump feedback loops.

Artwork and Serialization Process

Battle Tendency was serialized weekly in Shueisha's magazine from November 2, 1987, to March 27, 1989, spanning 69 chapters. The rigorous weekly deadlines shaped its production, compelling Araki to structure chapters episodically with frequent cliffhangers, particularly during prolonged battles like the high-stakes chariot race against Wamuu, which unfolded across multiple installments to maintain reader engagement amid tight turnaround times. Araki refined his line work and paneling from , introducing more dynamic poses, exaggerated perspectives, and speed lines to heighten action clarity and in combat scenes. These techniques improved the depiction of Hamon energy, visualized through radiating ripple patterns and stippled effects that conveyed the technique's vibrational force within the constraints of black-and-white printing. The manga's monochrome format necessitated innovative shading for the Pillar Men's hyper-muscular forms, employing cross-hatching, screentones, and bold contrasts to emphasize anatomical depth and stony textures, evoking classical sculptures. This approach not only amplified visual impact in grayscale but also laid groundwork for Araki's future color page experiments in later JoJo arcs, where vibrant palettes would build on these foundational contrasts.

Publication History

Original Japanese Release

Battle Tendency, originally subtitled Joseph Joestar: His Proud Lineage during serialization, appeared in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump from November 1987 to March 1989. The story arc followed immediately after Phantom Blood's conclusion in October 1987, with no significant hiatuses to sustain narrative momentum. It spanned 69 chapters, later compiled into volumes 5 through 12 of the Jump Comics edition published by . These volumes adhered to the standard format for the series, featuring black-and-white artwork and including previews for upcoming chapters to encourage continued readership in the magazine.

International and English Editions

acquired the English-language rights to : Part 2 - Battle Tendency and released it in starting with digital volumes in early 2015, followed by print editions announced in October 2015, comprising four volumes that collected the arc's 69 chapters. The translation maintained fidelity to the original Japanese serialization by preserving the right-to-left reading direction and panel layouts, avoiding the mirroring common in some Western adaptations of Japanese media. Unlike certain anime broadcasts, the English manga editions retained full depictions of Nazi-related elements, such as Rudol von Stroheim's affiliations and , without alteration, prioritizing historical context over potential sensitivities. No significant debates arose regarding these aspects in the print or digital releases. International editions beyond English-speaking markets appeared through licensed publishers, with French translations by Glénat Éditions beginning in the early and expanding to collected formats, alongside digital availability in and select Asian regions by the . These versions generally adhered to the source material's format and content, including unaltered combat sequences and thematic elements, though regional printing variations occurred in collected reprints around 2002 and 2012 for updated editions.

Adaptations

Anime Series

Episodes 10 through 26 of the first season of , produced by , adapt the Battle Tendency arc. These episodes originally aired weekly on starting December 8, 2012, with episode 10 marking the arc's debut, and concluding on April 6, 2013. The adaptation maintains fidelity to the manga's narrative structure and character dynamics, with minor extensions to select combat sequences to accommodate fluid 2D animation and emphasize in Hamon-based techniques, visualized through glowing ripple effects and exaggerated poses. Kōki Uchiyama voices the protagonist , delivering a performance that captures the character's brash confidence and strategic wit. Taku Iwasaki composed the original soundtrack, incorporating rhythmic, upbeat tracks with funk and orchestral elements that evoke the 1930s setting and amplify the arc's adventurous tone during battles against the Pillar Men. The series employs a distinctive visual style with vibrant colors and dramatic shading to highlight key moments, such as Hamon energy transfers, distinguishing it from prior adaptations while prioritizing source material accuracy over major alterations.

Video Games and Merchandise

Characters from Battle Tendency, including and Caesar Zeppeli, appear as playable fighters in : All-Star Battle (released August 30, 2013, for ) and its enhanced remake All-Star Battle R (September 2, 2022, across multiple platforms), where they employ Hamon (Ripple) techniques such as energy-infused punches and sunlight-based attacks integrated into combo systems. These movesets emphasize Hamon's properties, like conductivity and life-energy manipulation, allowing cross-era battles against Stand users from later arcs. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven (June 28, 2015, for , , and ) incorporates Battle Tendency content through a dedicated story mode chapter, playable characters with Hamon abilities, and tag-team mechanics blending Ripple energy with Stands for dual-phase combos. No official standalone focuses exclusively on Battle Tendency, distinguishing it from later parts with dedicated titles; its Hamon system instead provides utility in broader crossover fighting dynamics, enabling strategic contrasts with supernatural powers. Bandai Spirits produces merchandise such as the S.H.Figuarts , capturing poses and accessories from the arc, alongside Banpresto Mometria prize figures of characters like and antagonists. Apparel lines, including clothing and accessories, are licensed through for retail distribution. In 2025, the JOJO WORLD 3 event ( to at Bandai Namco Cross Store ) and the permanent THE★JOJO WORLD store (opening July 24 at PARCO) offered Battle Tendency-themed goods, including memorabilia tied to 's design, amid celebrations featuring original artwork by .

Themes and Analysis

Hamon Techniques and Combat Philosophy

Hamon, also known as the Ripple, operates on a foundational principle of harnessing human life through precise respiratory control, producing that replicate the electromagnetic properties of . This generation relies on rhythmic to create standing wave-like ripples within the body, enabling users to channel bio-electric forces for offensive and defensive purposes. The technique's efficacy stems from its alignment with natural physical laws, such as wave propagation and conductivity, where Hamon transfers efficiently through mediums like water, metals, or oils that facilitate low-resistance flow, but dissipates in insulators. Empirical in-story demonstrations show limits, such as the need for uninterrupted to sustain output, with disruptions causing immediate cessation of production. Core techniques emphasize controlled infusion and projection: basic overdrive imbues limbs or objects with Hamon for enhanced strikes that erode vampiric or Pillar Men flesh upon contact, mimicking solar destruction through precise energy density. Advanced applications include scattering Hamon into razor-like cutters or amplifying it via environmental conductors, such as wetting ropes with to extend reach and maintain integrity over distance. These methods underscore a combat philosophy rooted in efficiency and realism, prioritizing causal chains of energy transfer—where suboptimal conduction leads to measurable dissipation—over brute force, demanding practitioners master physiological synchronization to avoid from uncontrolled backlash. Traditional Hamon philosophy, as taught by masters like Will A. Zeppeli and Caesar Zeppeli, stresses disciplined, orthodox training to achieve peak purity and volume of Ripple energy, viewing it as an extension of the body's natural akin to a hermit's ascetic path. In contrast, Joestar's approach innovates through adaptive improvisation, leveraging real-time environmental factors and predictive anticipation to compensate for lower raw output, such as infusing improvised weapons like or firearms to bypass direct and exploit transfer efficiencies. This highlights causal realism in combat: while traditional methods optimize steady-state energy, Joseph's exploits transient opportunities, turning potential inefficiencies into decisive advantages via strategic redirection rather than innate power. Against the Pillar Men's biologically superior —characterized by cellular regeneration and adaptability that renders futile—Hamon asserts human counter-superiority through trainable energy mimicry of sunlight, which their evolutionarily conditioned vulnerabilities cannot fully overcome without total adaptation. Pillar Men possess near-limitless self-modification, yet Hamon's waveform disrupts their molecular stability at a fundamental level, demonstrating that human ingenuity in energy manipulation provides a scalable edge over static biological endowments, as evidenced by victories requiring combined Ripple potency and tactical circumvention of regenerative thresholds. This interplay reveals Hamon's philosophy as one of empirical adaptability: humans, lacking innate permanence, refine techniques to target exploitable causal weaknesses, such as conductivity mismatches, ensuring survival through iterative refinement rather than inherent dominance.

Character Archetypes and Narrative Influences

serves as the trickster hero archetype in Battle Tendency, relying on deception, environmental improvisation, and quick thinking to overcome superior foes, a style influenced by Hirohiko Araki's appreciation for Hollywood action stars like , whose portrayals emphasized resilient cunning in perilous situations. This approach marks a shift from the honorable, direct combat of in the prior arc, highlighting Araki's intent to craft protagonists who thrive through adaptive survival tactics rather than alone. The Pillar Men antagonists embody ancient overlords with near-immortal physiology and dominion over primitive societies, their imposing forms drawing from classical Western sculptures, including Roman-era figures and Egyptian motifs like the Sphinx, which Araki adapted to evoke timeless, god-like supremacy. Their narrative role as primordial beings seeking biological perfection parallels sci-fi tropes of evolved or extraterrestrial immortals, while their Central American origins suggest echoes of Mesoamerican worship, positioning them as causal apex predators in a mythic unburdened by . Supporting character dynamics, particularly the mentor-rival bond between and Caesar Zeppeli, foreshadow standard formulas of personal growth via intense camaraderie and shared trials, reflecting Araki's deliberate pivot toward affirmative alliances after the irreconcilable enmity of earlier rivals. The 1930s setting integrates period-specific feats—such as Joseph's piloting exploits—and technological novelties like early and automobiles, lending historical to the global pursuits and heightening the era's adventurous peril without moral equivocation. This framework underscores an of unyielding ingenuity for , where protagonists leverage intellect and circumstance decisively against existential threats.

Reception and Impact

Critical Reviews

Anime News Network praised Battle Tendency for its exciting and action-packed start, highlighting the introduction of as a more dynamic protagonist compared to his grandfather Jonathan in . Reviewers noted the arc's escalation in stakes, culminating in a finale blending intense combat with melodramatic elements, particularly the confrontation with the ultimate Pillar Man , who achieves a near-invincible form before his exile into space. The series' pacing was commended for shifting toward a more plot-driven narrative in later volumes, balancing humor through Joseph's trickster tactics with serious battles against ancient, superhuman foes. AIPT Comics reviewers described Battle Tendency as faster-paced and more enjoyable than , with stunning fight sequences and improved writing that amplified the bizarre antics and escalating threats posed by the Pillar Men. However, Comics Alliance offered mixed assessments, with one critic issuing a firm rejection due to perceived shortcomings in character depth and narrative innovation, while another suggested it as a tentative follow-up for fans of the first part. Critics have occasionally pointed to a lighter tone and reduced sense of urgency relative to 's more straightforward heroic struggle, attributing this to Joseph's reliance on cunning over raw determination, though this shift enabled broader combat creativity via Hamon techniques against biologically superior enemies. Despite such notes, the arc contributed to the 's rising profile during its serialization from November 1987 to March 1989 in , a magazine then circulating millions of copies weekly amid Japan's boom. Empirical metrics underscore its success: the overall series, bolstered by Battle Tendency's innovations in design and Ripple energy mechanics, surpassed 120 million copies in circulation by 2021. No major awards were specifically tied to this arc, but its role in elevating Hirohiko Araki's reputation aligned with 's peak era, where top series drove circulation above 6 million by the mid-1990s.

Fan Response and Cultural Legacy

Battle Tendency achieved iconic status among fans through Joseph Joestar's signature predictive taunts, such as "Your next line is...", which became a viral meme originating from his battles against Pillar Men adversaries like Wamuu and Esidisi. This gag, highlighting Joseph's reliance on cunning misdirection over , resonated widely in online communities, spawning parodies and edits that emphasize the arc's blend of humor and tension. The 2012 anime adaptation by , covering episodes 10 through 26, catalyzed a surge in global fandom by introducing dynamic visuals and to the serialized manga's early content, leading to high viewership retention in fan polls where 97.7% of over 1,600 respondents reported watching Battle Tendency. Platforms like Reddit's r/StardustCrusaders exhibit sustained engagement, with threads on Battle Tendency arcs frequently garnering thousands of upvotes and comments focused on character analyses and meme recreations. Its cultural legacy endures in shaping fan expectations for battle narratives prioritizing intellect and , influencing tropes in later shonen works where protagonists outwit foes through psychological ploys rather than escalation alone. Without new canonical releases, popularity persists via media like : All-Star Battle R (2022), which includes playable Battle Tendency characters such as and Caesar Zeppeli for crossover fights, and merchandise lines featuring S.H.Figuarts figures of Joseph released as late as June 2025.

Controversies

One notable controversy surrounding Battle Tendency centers on the portrayal of Rudol von Stroheim, a Nazi officer who transitions from to ally in the fight against the Pillar Men. Critics argue that the narrative humanizes and sympathizes with Nazi characters, including admiration for German and minimal condemnation of their , which some view as problematic given the series' WWII-era setting in . Defenders contend that Stroheim functions primarily as and a pragmatic ally against a threat greater than historical , reflecting the story's pulp adventure roots rather than endorsement of . This depiction has drawn broader scrutiny in discussions of anime's handling of Nazi imagery, with some Jewish viewers and critics highlighting the risk of trivializing historical atrocities through exaggerated or redemptive arcs. Criticism has also arisen regarding gender dynamics, particularly the secondary roles of female characters like , who demonstrates Hamon mastery and combat prowess but remains in a mentorship position subordinate to male protagonists and Caesar Zeppeli. While Lisa Lisa represents one of the series' few prominent female Hamon users, detractors note that women in Battle Tendency are often sidelined after key contributions, with limited agency compared to male leads, perpetuating shonen genre tropes of competent yet non-central heroines. Supporters highlight her authority and skill as progressive for 1980s , attributing any limitations to narrative focus on the male Joestar lineage rather than systemic . The aesthetic and behavioral traits of the Pillar Men villains—such as their androgynous designs, flamboyant poses, and homoerotic undertones—have sparked debate over coding, with some interpreting their monstrous portrayal as reinforcing negative of queer-coded antagonists. This aligns with broader fan discourse on JoJo's use of and villainous flamboyance, though explicit representation is absent, leading to divided views on whether it normalizes or pathologizes such traits. No large-scale cancellations or formal backlash have occurred, but these elements fuel ongoing online discussions, particularly in forums, contrasting the series' intentional with perceptions of unintended insensitivity.

References

  1. https://www.viz.com/shonenjump/chapters/jojos-bizarre-adventure-part-two
  2. https://jojowiki.com/Battle_Tendency
  3. https://www.viz.com/blog/posts/jojo-s-battle-tendency-vol-3
  4. https://www.viz.com/shonenjump/jojos-bizarre-adventure-part-two-chapter-2/chapter/13481
  5. https://www.viz.com/blog/posts/jojo-s-bizarre-adventure-battle-tendency-1
  6. https://jojowiki.com/Joseph_Joestar
  7. https://jojowiki.com/Clackers
  8. https://jojowiki.com/Caesar_Anthonio_Zeppeli
  9. https://jojowiki.com/Lisa_Lisa
  10. https://jojowiki.com/Esidisi
  11. http://moa.omnimulti.com/Pillar_Men
  12. http://moa.omnimulti.com/Stone_Mask_%28JoJo%2527s_Bizarre_Adventure%29
  13. https://www.viz.com/blog/posts/jojo-s-bizarre-adventure-battle-tendency-vol-4
  14. http://www.mchip.net/fetch.php/u5HD5C/246504/jojo_s_bizarre-adventure_part_2__battle_tendency_v.pdf
  15. https://jojowiki.com/Rudol_von_Stroheim
  16. https://jojowiki.com/Robert_E._O._Speedwagon
  17. https://jojowiki.com/Smokey_Brown
  18. https://jojo.fandom.com/wiki/Rudol_von_Stroheim
  19. https://dbpedia.org/page/Battle_Tendency
  20. https://www.barnesandnoble.com/b/series/jojos-bizarre-adventure-series/_/N-2woo
  21. https://gamerant.com/jojo-araki-art-style-change/
  22. https://drawingatduke.blogspot.com/2017/02/hirohiko-araki-reilly-johnson.html
  23. https://www.comipress.com/article/2006/07/25/516
  24. https://booknerdection.com/the-artistic-evolution-of-jojos-author-hirohiko-araki/
  25. https://www.excite.co.jp/news/article/Nijimen_0000000000380245/
  26. https://note.com/vctrkrft/n/n8ea34f03882b
  27. http://jinbei.s58.xrea.com/data_jojo_part2.htm
  28. https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/press-release/2015-10-23/viz-media-announces-print-launch-of-jojo-bizarre-adventure-part-2-battle-tendency/.94540
  29. https://archive.org/details/jojosbizarreadve0000arak_s2g6
  30. https://www.amazon.com/Battle-Tendency-Jojos-Bizarre-Adventure-1/dp/2756065641
  31. https://jojowiki.com/Episode_10
  32. https://thetvdb.com/series/jojos-bizarre-adventure-2012
  33. https://gamerant.com/jojos-bizarre-adventure-biggest-changes-manga-and-anime/
  34. https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Koki-Uchiyama/
  35. https://open.spotify.com/album/0BcV1ohbg8vy1hvA6eHCjW
  36. https://deluscar.wordpress.com/2016/05/11/analyzing-the-music-in-jojos-bizarre-adventure/
  37. https://www.thegamer.com/jojos-bizarre-adventure-asbr-hamon-breathing-phantom-blood-battle-tendency-guide/
  38. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1372110/JoJos_Bizarre_Adventure_AllStar_Battle_R/
  39. https://www.thegamer.com/jojos-bizarre-adventure-asbr-what-is-stands-hamon-connection/
  40. https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/latest/2015/11/24/video-jojos-bizarre-adventure-eyes-of-heaven-trailer-goes-full-battle-tendency-with-joseph-joestar
  41. https://www.bigbadtoystore.com/Search?ProductType=43624&Company=81&Brand=759
  42. https://www.amazon.com/Banpresto-Bizarre-Adventure-Tendency-Mometria/dp/B0F29MKWRJ
  43. https://jojo-news.com/2024/12/18/jojo-world-3-event-starts-in-april-2025-in-japan/
  44. https://www.sportskeeda.com/anime/jojo-s-bizarre-adventure-how-hamon-energy-work
  45. https://www.soapcentral.com/anime/how-hamon-works-jojo-s-bizarre-adventure
  46. https://www.cbr.com/jojos-bizarre-adventure-ripple-facts-trivia/
  47. https://screenrant.com/jojo-bizarre-adventure-stands-hamon-better-power-system-op-ed/
  48. https://fandomwire.com/hirohiko-araki-found-inspiration-in-2-of-hollywoods-biggest-stars-for-jojos-bizarre-adventure/
  49. https://www.cbr.com/hirohiko-araki-jjba-creator-trivia-fun-facts/
  50. https://www.thecollector.com/what-inspired-hirohiko-araki-manga-artist/
  51. https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/jojo-bizarre-adventure/part-2/gn-1/.94888
  52. https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/jojo-bizarre-adventure/part-2/gn-4/.109043
  53. https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/jojo-bizarre-adventure/part-2/gn-3/.101427
  54. https://aiptcomics.com/2015/11/10/jojos-bizarre-adventure-part-2-battle-tendency-vol-1-review/
  55. https://aiptcomics.com/2016/05/02/jojos-bizarre-adventure-part-2-battle-tendency-vol-3-review/
  56. https://comicsalliance.com/bizarre-adventures-battle-tendency/
  57. https://twitter.com/WSJ_manga/status/1476957141693050882
  58. https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/your-next-line-is
  59. https://www.reddit.com/r/StardustCrusaders/comments/7vr8y7/jojos_bizarre_adventure_survey_results/
  60. https://www.reddit.com/r/StardustCrusaders/comments/y3py01/jojos_bizarre_adventure_battle_tendency_casual/
  61. https://www.reddit.com/r/StardustCrusaders/comments/b1asxr/the_influences_if_jojo_in_the_battle_shonen_genre/
  62. https://essential-japan.com/news/jjba-battle-tendencys-joseph-joestar-s-h-figuarts-figure-goes-on-sale-this-june/
  63. https://www.animefeminist.com/my-fave-is-problematic-jojos-bizarre-adventure/
  64. https://shoechoe.tumblr.com/post/705117051014053888/battle-tendency
  65. https://www.reddit.com/r/StardustCrusaders/comments/p36r8p/thoughts_on_stroheim_and_the_presence_of_nazis_in/
  66. https://www.jta.org/2023/05/03/global/does-anime-have-a-nazi-problem-some-jewish-fans-think-so
  67. https://screenrant.com/jojos-bizarre-adventure-women-complicated-controversy-explained-araki/
  68. https://anneladyem.org/jojos-bizarre-adventure-into-progressivism/
  69. https://sabukaru.online/articles/bisexual-panic-analyzing-the-queer-coded-characters-of-jojos-bizarre-adventure
  70. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUjEVAWI46Y
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